Newcastle United Women's Football Team: Big plans for a side that is going places

Former Premier league star Trevor Benjamin explains his goals for the city's leading women's football club

Pictures from Newcastle United Women's Football Club trials ahead of the 2014/15 season. The hopefuls are addressed by a couple of the coaches

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Men writing about women’s football find it difficult to steer themselves away from a patronising tone.

Even those with the best intentions fall into the trap of praising any female footballer for their ability to, er, play football.

They would never dare do this with boys. You would never hear some lads getting a pat in the back because he knew how to keep the ball up six times.

In saying all that, and at the risk of coming across as a sexist pig, to suggest I was stunned at the natural ability of the Newcastle United Women’s team at their final set of trials last week, held on the campus of Northumbria University where they play their home games, would be an understatement.

It’s not that I didn’t expect them to be good. I did. I just didn’t expect them to be THAT good.

There is a difference between the girls and boys. Of course there is, certainly in terms of physicality. But in many ways, this makes the women’s game aesthetically better.

They need to pass the ball along the ground. They have to rely on skills instead of brute strength that you see by watching any game played on a public pitch.

And they take it seriously.

Newcastle United Women's Football Club trials ahead of the 2014/15 season. The coaches including James Clark, left, and next to him Trevor Benjamin

Newcastle United WFC are going places and fast. That is why former Premier League star Trevor Benjamin has been drafted in as head coach and a man on a mission.

He and assistant James Clark have big plans for this club and word has got out. More girls than were expected turned up at the final trial last week in a bid to win a place in the squad.

The difficult thing was cutting players, not finding them.

And not wishing to labour a point, but they are flaming good.

Big Benjamin paced between two groups who were in turn playing keep-ball in-between playing keepy-uppy. Some were better than others. One of two, out of this world.

So did the former Leicester City man, who actually turned out for 29 different clubs in his professional career, expect them to be this good?

“Yes, but I have been so pleasantly surprised by the talent. It’s been unbelievable and I mean that. It’s a breath of fresh air to be honest and makes it easy for us as coaches to coach because they are good players and good individuals.

“It’s easy to mould because we are not starting with the basics. They are way above that. Technically, they are better than boys. Balance-wise, they are definitely better than men.

“And here’s the thing. There isn’t any rolling about. That has become a joke with the men. The women just get up and on with it. That’s enjoyable to see.”

Benjamin doesn’t mention this, but I found out later that he isn’t being paid for his role, which is admirable.

Newcastle United Women's Football Club trials ahead of the 2014/15 season

“At first, I came along to do a few sessions and that was fine,” he tells me. “Then I got offered the job out of the blue, to be honest. James and I wanted to bring our own twist to it.

“We are trying to bring an ethos to the club so we can compete with what at this level are bigger, more established clubs.

“We want to create good players, or to put it another way add to what is already there. If we do that, we have done our job.

“We want the girls to stay with us for as long a time as possible, but we need to be realistic and if they did move on to a bigger club, then that’s success as well.”

This has already happened. Long-serving captain Sarah Wilson last week moved to Durham.

Her role as skipper was taken up by Courtney Lock, a Sunderland native, full-time student and someone who started out in a girls team who players in a boys’ league.

“We competed and they didn’t like us beating them,” she said to the surprise of nobody. “I have been playing since I was nine. My dad played a bit and I would go along, and before I knew it I was playing as well.

“I take it really seriously. It’s not just a hobby. Football is close to everyone at the club’s heart. How many people get to represent Newcastle United? This is a real privilege.

“It’s full-time. Most of the girls train five or six times a week and also play up to two games. It’s pretty hectic.

“Do you know what, the standard has gone though the roof. Some of the girls, and I mean the really younger ones, are brilliant. I can’t help thinking they will be fighting for my place in a few years. Everyone is a good standard.”

When Andy Murray appointed a female coach recently, Amélie Mauresmo, some even in tennis could not believe it. There were many, mostly women it must be said, who didn’t think a woman could coach a man.

But yet there are two men here coaching women.

Clark said: “We looked at it and know that going forward we will have to bring in a female, not necessarily a coach but maybe someone like a physio, into the club to work with the girls on a more personal level that we could never, ever touch.

“Julian Dicks has become the women’s coach at West Ham, a former Premier League player like Trev, so the women’s’ game is crying out for ex-pros to help, especially the younger girls.

“Women’s football is young, in itself, as are the players. So if we can help a girl come through and coach, then that’s part of it as well.”

Clark’s enthusiasm is infectious. He firmly believes that Newcastle United WFC can play in the Super League. At the moment they are in the confusingly-named Premier League, which is actually the second tier.

He said: “This is our goal. Absolutely. The Premier League and FA have just said that in 2016/17 season, one team will be able to go up. So we have a season of building this year so we are ready to try and win promotion, and that’s to be ready on and off the pitch.”

That doesn’t sound like a lot of time.

“It’s not, but we are going in the right direction,” he replied. “We want to be the best we can be. I want to see this Newcastle United in the top league and challenging for honours. We are doing the right things. It’s the only way to go.

“It’s not about Trev, I or anyone else. It’s about the girls and the club. If we can push them higher then that’s what we will do.”

There is a franchise agreement with Newcastle United themselves. The club have been supportive and a year-on-year rolling contract is in place. This enables the team to play in the famous black and white.

Clark said: “Part of what we need to do, and by that I mean ourselves and the committee, is to bring that connection closer together. That’s going to be important.

“We can offer them a lot and they can offer us a lot. I am sure we can work for the benefit of each other.”

Emma Turnball, a 16-year-old striker, signed the night I was there. She had just been called up by England at her age level and will join the squad to play in a Home Nations tournament in Ireland.

A season ticket holder at St James’ Park, she said: “Joining is a real dream. It’s a great chance to play at a higher standard.”

And dad, Mark, admitted that while the lure of playing in the black and white strip was a factor, it was more about what the club is trying to do for the players.

He said: “We had an offer to go to Durham, but I spoke to Trevor and James and I was impressed at how they wanted to develop the players.

“They spoke to me about how they wanted to help Emma as a person as well as a footballer. They were very impressive.”

As Benjamin himself said: “It’s not just about coaching. We want to make them better individuals and for them to trust us. It’s not just about the football. You need a nice balance.”

They are doing everything right at this club and deserve any success that comes their way. I came away from my visit in a much better mood thanks to the positivity that came from everyone.